The Blohm & Voss BV 40 was a German glider fighter designed to attack Allied bomber formations. By eliminating the engine and positioning the pilot in a prone position (i.e., lying on the front), the cross-sectional area of the aircraft was much reduced, making the aircraft much harder for bomber gunners to hit.
Its key features were a very narrow and fairly heavily-armored cockpit, and two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons in the wing roots with very limited ammunition. The fuselage was constructed almost entirely of wood, a non-strategic material. During its short attack time, the glider would fire its weapons, then glide back to earth, although for a time, the idea of carrying a bomb on a cable behind the glider was entertained.
The first flight was in the May of 1944. Several prototypes were completed, but the project was stopped later in the year as the end of the war drew near.
Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blohm_%26_Voss_BV_40
Germany during World War II 